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With just 25 days to go, now is the time to start thinking about Christmas gift ideas for your fellow cyclists – or to start dropping hints to non-cyclists about what you'd like to receive!
To save you the last minute present panic, BikeRadar has compiled this list of 12 of the coolest bike related gifts. Whether you're looking for stocking fillers or something a bit more special, this list should have you covered.
Endura Luminite Thermal gloves
£39.99 / US$66.99
Ideal gift for: The commuter who plans to plough on through the colder months
Endura's Luminite Thermal gloves are ideal product for the commuter cyclist in your life. The Luminites have a layer of Thinsulate fabric to provide warmth when the temperature hovers in single figures.
The Luminite's long cuffs have a velcro closure to reduce drafts around the wrists. There's a strip of Terry towelling along the index fingers and the palms have rubberised sections to provide extra grip on wet bars.
There's a comfortable, soft lining on the inside and the thumbs, sides and middle fingers all have highly reflective panels. The material between the fingers is also reflective.
www.endura.co.uk
Chris King espresso cups
£23.99 / US$14
Ideal gift for: Espresso-loving cyclists
Chris King is known for its aluminium exotica – headsets, hubs and bottom brackets – but now it's made this espresso cup and saucer, presumably to be be the perfect partners to its own-brand coffee.
The cups feature graphics in the style of Chris King's signature laser etching, showing the headsets they’re most famous for, set into the red glaze. Our scientific testing revealed that the cup has a medium thickness build, tapering slightly towards the top. Heat retention is good. The saucer offers good support for the cup, allowing up to around a 30-degree tilt before the cup topples off. The handle is well shaped, so long as your fingers aren’t too big.
When drinking from this espresso cup, we always point our pinky fingers out, for maximum style.
chrisking.com
Lezyne Port-a-Shop toolkit
£99.99 / US$139.99
Ideal gift for: Someone who transports their bike in a car to go riding, but doesn’t want the hassle of taking their home tool kit with them
The Port-a-Shop is a mini toolkit from Lezyne, containing every tool you’re likely to need outside of a workshop. The carry case has pouches to hold the various tools that are supplied, which include a full set of Allen keys, Torx keys, puncture repair kits, chaintools and spanners. It also includes pedal spanners, which double as bottle openers.
The tool pouch has a zipped mesh pocket for small spares like chain links. The two puncture repair kits contain instant patches and traditional more permanent glued patches, as well as a tyre boot. This kit is small enough to fit into travelling bags or chuck in the back of the car. It is probably a bit big to take in a riding pack though.
www.lezyne.com
Rapha Merino beanie
£35 / US$55
An ideal present for: The hardy winter rider who goes out whatever the weather
Rapha’s merino wool beanie is thin enough to fit under a helmet and is ideal for keeping your head warm whether it's wet or dry outside.
The reversible design also has a doubled-over hem, so your ears should have extra insulation. Merino’s natural anti-bacterial properties should mean that this beanie stays stink-free between washes.
www.rapha.cc
Stitch Mi Lane cushion
£28 / US$45.72 approx, excluding shipping
Ideal gift for: Anyone who wants to add some cycling inspired soft furnishing to their home
Stitch-Mi-Lane is run by bicycle enthusiast and designer Stephanie Drake. She hand-makes a range of knitted and printed items for cyclists looking for comfort and class. Included in their range are merino wool snoods, scarves and cowls stitched with bicycle-inspired designs. They're all produced at the company's small factory in the Scottish Borders.
This cushion has its bike wheel design hand-printed onto the cotton cover, and comes with a non-printed reverse and piping along the seam.
www.stitchmilane.bigcartel.com
Prints from The Handmade Cyclist
£25 / US$40.84 approx, excluding shipping
Ideal gift for: The cyclist in your life who wants to display the history, romance, guts, stories and skill of professional racing
This infographic details of the history of road racing, showing the good, the great and the villains of pro cycling, and how they relate to one another. It's easy and enjoyable to get lost in the detail of this print, looking for famous and infamous riders.
Elsewhere in their range of beautifully designed prints are artful depictions of classic races such as the Tour of Lombardia and Paris-Roubaix. There are also celebrations of famous cyclists such as Mario Cipollini and Fausto Coppi. The prints are produced on thick, high-quality paper, ready to be framed and hung. They'd be a superbly fitting addition to any cyclist's house.
thehandmadecyclist.com
Park BOC2 bottle opener
£7.99 / US$6.95
Ideal gift for: Someone who likes nothing more than popping the top off a bottle of beer when they get home from a ride
Every now and again a bottled beverage is an ideal post-ride drink. Popping the lid off a cold beer and hearing that satisfying fizz is made even better (and easier) when it's done with a quality bottle opener.
Park Tools' BOC2 does a sterling job of uniting you with delicious beer, by removing pesky bottle caps, and the handle has Park's traditional blue rubber finish.
www.parktool.com
SKS Raceblade Long mudguards
£44.99 / US$60
Ideal gift for: The all-weather cyclist
There’s nothing worse than riding on the road and getting covered in spray. Even in the rain, spray from wheels contributes significantly to the moisture content of your lycra. The SKS Raceblade Long mudguards provide good coverage over both wheels and are effective at minimising spray. Their design means they can be quickly removed from your bike when the sun shines.
The additional length in front of the front wheel and between rear wheel and frame makes these stand out from many others mudguards. They also include a mud flap.
Polaris AM 500 Repel MTB shorts
£54.99
Ideal gift for: The mountain biker who keeps riding no matter what the weather
Polaris has created a pair of winter mountain biking shorts ideal for damp days on muddy trails. They have abrasion resistant panels, combined with a stretchy crotch section.
The Repel shorts have been treated with a durable water-resistant coating. This means they should be able to shrug off all but the heaviest rain and deepest puddles. While the DWR coating has an effect on the breathability, they still breathe far better than they would if they were made of fully-waterproof material. There is also some zipped mesh-backed vents for when things warm up.
They also have velcro secured pockets, plus a zipped security pocket. The fit is baggy and they are long enough to cover the tops of you knees, with space for kneepads. Thanks to the stretchy panels around the crotch, they have a good fit, allowing for plenty of movement.
www.polaris-apparel.co.uk
Apres recovery hot chocolate
£26.99 for 15 sachets / US$N/A
Ideal gift for: Anyone training though winter
Post-ride recovery drinks are a great way to make sure you’re ready to ride hard again the next day. Most require cold water or milk to make them, but when it’s cold out, often a cup of hot chocolate is all you really want after a long dark ride. Enter Apres Recovery's hot chocolate recovery drink.
One sachet contains all the nutrients needed to recover after a ride. Apres have avoided going for a really sweet flavour, opting instead for a more malty chocolate taste. Perfect for this festive season!
www.apresrecovery.com
Fibre Flare back-up lights
From £19.99 / US$32.99
Ideal gift for: The city commuter who wants to stand out from the crowd
Being seen at night is a combination of being bright and reflective. It also helps if you can stand out from the crowd. While Fibre Flare lights aren’t the brightest out there, their long shape with nearly 360 degree visibility makes them very noticeable.
Fibre Flares come in a range of colours and battery options. We particularly like the USB chargeable ones – just plug them in every now and again without worrying about finding a replacement batteries. These lights have a clothing clip at each end, so they securely attach to clothing or bags.
We’ve even seen them attached to the backs of helmets too – the body of the Fibre Flare is flexible.
fibreflare.com
Airace Speed F2.G pump
£44.99 / US$N/A
Ideal gift for: Puncture prone riders who don’t want to spend half an hour pumping up their tyres
The Airace Speed F2.G pump inflates tyres with minimal effort. Its fold-out handle is combined with an extendable hose and fold-out foot plate, giving easy pumping from the long high-volume shaft. The length of the pump means it’ll only really fit in a pack, but if you’ve got big volume tyres, you’ll appreciate carrying it.
The extendable hose has a built-in pressure gauge, which has so far proved reliable. The pump head locks tightly to valves and is convertible between Schraeder and Presta tubes.
www.airace.com
via BikeRadar.com
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